1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a digital camera, and particularly relates to the digital camera which is low-profile and compact in size.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed a variety of cameras each of which has a bending optical system (or a flexion optical system) in which its optical axis is bent.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 8-130702, 9-163206, 10-253886, 10-191125, 10-282560 and 2002-287224, disclose some cameras or image-taking devices, each of which has a bending optical system (or a flexion optical system) in which an optical axis is bent once. More specifically, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-130702 discloses a card-shaped camera in which the optical axis is bent once by a mirror or prism in the bending optical system. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 9-163206 discloses a video camera having a bending optical system in which an optical axis is bent once. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-253886 discloses a camera in which its bending optical system, with an optical axis being bent once, is arranged sideways. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-191125 discloses an arrangement, or a structure, of a camera having a bending optical system in which an optical axis is bent once. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-282560 discloses a camera in which a folding type of mirror is accommodated. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-287224 discloses a low-profile (i.e. thin) and rectangular-shaped camera which employs a bending optical system.
On the other hand, International Publication No. WO 97/49003 (International Application No. PCT/DK97/00261) discloses an optical image recording apparatus having a bending optical system in which its optical axis is bent twice within the same plane.
For example, by adopting such a bending optical system in which its optical axis is bent once, it is possible to downsize (or make small) the dimension of a camera body having the bending optical system in the direction in which the camera is moved relative to an object (or subject). That is, by adopting the bending optical system, it is possible to make thinner the camera body and to realize a low-profile camera. However, if the bending optical system is longer, the dimension of the camera in the direction which is other than the aforementioned direction in which the camera is moved relative thereto, becomes greater, thus making it difficult to make the camera compact. Generally, there is a tendency: higher magnification of a zoom lens, bigger its optical system. Therefore, it is difficult to simultaneously realize both of the downsizing of the camera body and higher magnification thereof.